diff --git a/job_templates/ci_job.xml.em b/job_templates/ci_job.xml.em
index e60e459da..8a0441fcf 100644
--- a/job_templates/ci_job.xml.em
+++ b/job_templates/ci_job.xml.em
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ fi
 @[  if os_name in ['linux', 'linux-aarch64', 'linux-armhf'] and turtlebot_demo]@
 export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --ros1-path /opt/ros/$CI_ROS1_DISTRO"
 @[  end if]@
+if [ -n "${CI_ROS_DISTRO+x}" ]; then
+  export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --ros-distro $CI_ROS_DISTRO"
+fi
 if [ -n "${CI_BUILD_ARGS+x}" ]; then
   export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --build-args $CI_BUILD_ARGS"
 fi
@@ -384,6 +387,9 @@ if "!CI_BRANCH_TO_TEST!" NEQ "" (
 if "!CI_COLCON_BRANCH!" NEQ "" (
   set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! --colcon-branch !CI_COLCON_BRANCH!"
 )
+if "!CI_ROS_DISTRO!" NEQ "" (
+  set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! --ros-distro !CI_ROS_DISTRO!"
+)
 if "!CI_USE_WHITESPACE_IN_PATHS!" == "true" (
   set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! --white-space-in sourcespace buildspace installspace workspace"
 )
diff --git a/job_templates/packaging_job.xml.em b/job_templates/packaging_job.xml.em
index fc2d4cdf5..caa6c5366 100644
--- a/job_templates/packaging_job.xml.em
+++ b/job_templates/packaging_job.xml.em
@@ -193,6 +193,9 @@ export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --ros1-path /opt/ros/$CI_ROS1_DISTRO"
 echo "not building/testing the ros1_bridge on MacOS"
 # export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --ros1-path /Users/osrf/melodic/install_isolated"
 @[  end if]@
+if [ -n "${CI_ROS_DISTRO+x}" ]; then
+  export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --ros-distro $CI_ROS_DISTRO"
+fi
 if [ -n "${CI_COLCON_MIXIN_URL+x}" ]; then
   export CI_ARGS="$CI_ARGS --colcon-mixin-url $CI_COLCON_MIXIN_URL"
 fi
@@ -370,6 +373,9 @@ if "!CI_BRANCH_TO_TEST!" NEQ "" (
 if "!CI_COLCON_BRANCH!" NEQ "" (
   set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! --colcon-branch !CI_COLCON_BRANCH!"
 )
+if "!CI_ROS_DISTRO!" NEQ "" (
+  set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! --ros-distro !CI_ROS_DISTRO!"
+)
 set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! --ignore-rmw"
 if "!CI_USE_CONNEXT_STATIC!" == "false" (
   set "CI_ARGS=!CI_ARGS! rmw_connext_cpp"
diff --git a/ros2_batch_job/__main__.py b/ros2_batch_job/__main__.py
index f64f4214e..66e1930d4 100644
--- a/ros2_batch_job/__main__.py
+++ b/ros2_batch_job/__main__.py
@@ -204,6 +204,9 @@ def get_args(sysargv=None):
     parser.add_argument(
         '--force-ansi-color', default=False, action='store_true',
         help="forces this program to output ansi color")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--ros-distro', required=True
+        help="The ROS distribution being built")
     parser.add_argument(
         '--ros1-path', default=None,
         help="path of ROS 1 workspace to be sourced")